Salaga Hospital Nurse Detained Over Missing Newborn as Police Probe Murder in Nkwanta and Illegal Mining in Efutu

Tension has escalated at the Salaga Municipal Hospital in the Savannah Region following the mysterious disappearance of a newborn baby girl shortly after delivery. The incident, which occurred early Wednesday morning, has led to the detention of a duty nurse as the Ghana Police Service launches an intensive investigation. According to family reports, the mother delivered between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., but relatives were subsequently denied access to the child. The situation turned critical when the mother was transferred to a ward without her baby, prompting the family to demand that the detained nurse remain in custody until the infant is located. While police have blocked potential exit routes, no breakthrough has yet been recorded. In a separate security development, the Nkwanta District Police Command is investigating the murder of 36-year-old Thomas Adon, who was shot dead on Sunday at Keri. A joint Police-Military team responded to the scene, where they recovered spent cartridges and other evidence. As the body remains at St. Joseph’s Hospital Mortuary for post-mortem, authorities are urging the public to provide information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects, while calling for calm within the Keri community. This incident has heightened concerns regarding regional security and the need for swift justice in the Oti Region. Further south, the Central Regional Police Command has moved against illegal mining activities threatening national infrastructure. Officers stormed a 'galamsey' site situated on a Ghana Water Limited pipeline at Efutu, leading to the arrest of three suspects: Eugene Oppong (28), Paul Kumash (30), and Amos Beyuo (25). Although several other miners fled the scene, police successfully impounded water pumping machines and other mining equipment. The suspects are currently in custody, with Ghana Water Limited officials emphasizing the severe risk such activities pose to the region's water supply and environmental health. Meanwhile, legal proceedings have commenced in the Volta Region regarding the protection of minors. The Sogakope Circuit Court has granted a GH₵20,000 bail to Saviour Gakpo, a 30-year-old undertaker accused of defiling a nine-year-old girl in Mepe. Gakpo, who pleaded not guilty, allegedly lured the victim to an uncompleted building with sweets and money. While the court has set the next hearing for June 18, community members and local educators have voiced concerns over the safety of children, calling for more stringent measures and community vigilance to deter such offenses in the future.